Archer's BBQ employees in Knoxville were told all locations are closed. 'It was very unexpected'
Archer's BBQ, which opened its newest restaurant just a few months ago, has wiped its website and Facebook pages and no one is answering the phones at any of the barbecue restaurants.
Employees were informed all the locations had closed, some told Knox News.
The websites also have been wiped for the other restaurants from owner William "Archer " Bagley III: Bulls Eye Pizza and steakhouse Fire + Smoke.
Reached by phone Oct. 25, Bagley said "I have no comment, sorry."
Jared Martin, the executive chef at Fire + Smoke, told Knox News that Bagley had closed all his restaurants on Monday.
"We had to call a few reservations," he said, adding Bagley informed him the day before via text.
Archers BBQ employees left stunned over abrupt closings
Bagley had built a small restaurant empire in Knoxville over a dozen years. He worked as an engineer for 15 years after graduating from the University of Tennessee. He got into the restaurant business in Atlanta before moving back to Knoxville. He started his empire with Archer's BBQ in 2011, opening a sixth Archer's BBQ and prime steakhouse Fire and Smoke in 2023.
Missing Archer's BBQ? It might be time to try these Knoxville favorites
Benji Walker, who had been employed at the Rutledge Pike location for a year and a half, said he got the news from a co-worker Monday morning, who texted him to tell him Archer’s BBQ was closing down.
“That’s how I found out,” Walker said, adding he did get confirmation later from his manager.
“We were told all the locations are closed, the doors are locked, we’re not serving anyone,” he said.
Walker, who is a sophomore at the University of Tennessee, said he had just saved enough money to pay his tuition and his car payment for this month.
“That’s basically it, so until I find another job … I do have payments that need to be paid soon,” he said, adding some of his coworkers were depending on their paychecks to keep their families fed.
Jackson James, who had been with Archer’s at various locations for two and a half years, also found out initially through word of mouth. District Manager Mason Crockett called him and confirmed the bad news, he said.
“I was scheduled to work Tuesday,” James said. “I asked him, (should) I just not show up for work, should I just stay home? He said the closings were effective immediately.”
James has been trying to work his way through filing for unemployment but plans to fall back on his welding degree for a new job.
“It was very unexpected,” he said of the layoffs. “I didn’t want to believe it at first.”
No documents have been filed in Eastern District of Tennessee Bankruptcy Court as of mid-afternoon Wednesday.
Walker noted that Bagley had just opened Fire + Smoke as well as a new Archer’s location, and was working on a new restaurant as well.
Liz Kellar is a Tennessee Connect reporter. Email liz.kellar@knoxnews.com. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Archer's BBQ employees say Knoxville locations closed unexpectedly
